‘Deadliest Catch’ captain and Seattle native Sig Hansen hospitalized

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‘Deadliest Catch’ captain and Seattle native Sig Hansen hospitalized

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The fiercest captain on TV is in a hospital bed.

Sig Hansen is recovering after suffering a medical scare at sea. His show, “The Deadliest Catch,” was filming for an upcoming season when the 49-year-old experienced chest pains.

“While Sig was determined to keep going, the crew acted swiftly and insisted that they dock to get him help,” Laurie Goldberg, spokesperson for Discovery Channel, said in a statement Wednesday. She did not say when the incident took place.

Hansen was airlifted to a medical facility in Anchorage, Alaska, where he continues to recover. His daughter Mandy Hansen, who works in the family’s crab fishing business, posted an image to Instagram of her father smiling in a hospital bed.

“[Captain] survived the ‘widowmaker,'” the post read. “Beating a heart attack ain’t easy. Welcome back, boss.” The post has since been removed.

Hansen has starred in the hit reality show on the Discovery Channel since 2006. The show highlights real events on fishing vessels off the Alaskan coast.

Hansen has had close calls in the past, such as an accident that may have saved his life, he said. While boarding a fishing boat, he sprained his ankle so badly he was flown home. He was supposed to be the chef on that boat, which went fishing and was never seen again.

“Basically a sprained ankle saved my life, ” Hansen said in a video. “I am lucky to be here.”

Sigurd Jonny Hansen was born the oldest of three sons (Sigurd, Edgar, and Norman) of Sverre Hansen in Seattle on April 28, 1966.